Requirements at a glance
| License before this | Apprentice Electrician |
|---|---|
| Education + experience | 2-year apprenticeship (288 classroom hours) + 4,000 hours, or 8,000 hours of experience |
| Exams | Residential written (100 Q, 240 min, 75%) + 4-task practical |
| Code books | 2023 NEC (with Utah amendments), Ugly's 2023, Utah law and rules |
Licensed apprentices who completed a 2-year apprenticeship program (288+ classroom hours) plus 4,000 hours of supervised experience, or 8,000 hours of supervised electrical experience (DOPL).
Official links
How to get licensed, step by step
Work as a licensed apprentice
Log hours under a licensed journeyman or master electrician.
Finish your apprenticeship and hours
Complete a 2-year (288 classroom hours) program plus 4,000 hours, or log 8,000 hours of supervised experience.
Register and schedule with Prov
Utah's licensing exams are given by Prov, Inc. Create an account, pick "Residential Journeyman Electrician", and choose a testing center (21 sites from Logan to St. George) or take the written exam from home through Examroom. Reschedule at least 3 business days ahead or you lose the fee.
Pass the written and practical exams
100 written questions in 240 minutes at 75%, plus a 4-task practical (torque setting, evaporative cooler motor wiring, 3-way/4-way switching, schematic wiring).
Apply for your license
Apply to DOPL online once both exams are passed.
DOPL: residential journeyman electrician license (opens in a new tab)DOPL online application (opens in a new tab)
How to prepare
- Get the exact editions on the reference list. Answers are based on those editions, and Utah's statewide amendments change some sections.
- Tab your books before you study, not the night before: one permanent tab per chapter plus the tables you use most. Highlighting is allowed.
- Practice finding answers, not memorizing them. Open-book exams are a race against the clock: on a 4-hour, 100-question exam you have about 2.4 minutes per question.
- Focus on dwellings: 210.52 receptacle placement, 210.8 GFCI, Article 220 dwelling load calcs, 230 services, 250 grounding, 334 NM cable and 314.16 box fill.
- Utah deletes the AFCI requirement and dwelling surge protection, and narrows basement GFCI. Know the Utah version.
- Start with the free questions above to find your weak topics, then drill those first.
- Take at least two full timed simulations before exam day. Timing is where most people fail open-book exams.
- Read every explanation, including for questions you got right, and look the section up in your own book.
Books for this exam
This is an open-book exam: you can bring the references below, and most questions come from the 2023 NEC and Ugly's. Tabs and highlighting are allowed. Free online copies are read-only and can't be used in the exam room.
NFPA 70: National Electrical Code (NEC), 2023 EditionEssential
Most of the exam. Tab Articles 100, 110, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 310, 314, 430 and Chapter 9.
NFPA store (opens in a new tab)Free online access (opens in a new tab)
Ugly's Electrical References, 2023 EditionEssential
Formulas for current, voltage drop, power, motors and transformers: the theory part of the exam.
Utah Code Title 15A, Chapter 3 (Utah's statewide code amendments)
Utah changes parts of the IPC, IFGC, IMC and NEC. Print the parts for your trade and tab them, or write the changes into your code book.
Utah Code 58-55 (Construction Trades Licensing Act)
Licensing, supervision and unprofessional conduct. Print and tab it.
Official reference list (as published by the testing agency)
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC), 2023
- Ugly's Electrical References, 2023
- Utah Code 58-1 (DOPL Licensing Act) and 58-55 (Construction Trades Licensing Act)
- Utah Admin. Code R156-1 (General Rule) and R156-55b (Electricians Licensing Act Rule)
What's on the exam
Estimated topic weighting. No official breakdown is published:
| Topic | Questions | |
|---|---|---|
| Services, Feeders & Branch Circuits | 12 | |
| Grounding & Bonding | 10 | |
| Lighting & General Use Equipment | 9 | |
| Conductors & Cables | 8 | |
| Overcurrent Protection | 8 | |
| Raceways & Enclosures | 7 | |
| Voltage Drop | 7 | |
| Definitions & General Requirements | 6 | |
| Current | 5 | |
| Power | 5 | |
| Resistance | 5 | |
| State Laws & Rules | 5 | |
| Voltage | 5 | |
| Motors & Controllers | 4 | |
| Special Occupancies & Equipment | 4 |
Exam day details
- Administered by Prov, Inc. for the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).
- Fee: $85 written exam, plus the practical exam (Prov).
- Utah amends the 2023 NEC statewide (Utah Code 15A-3-601). For example, Utah deletes the AFCI requirement (210.12) and surge protection for dwelling services (230.67). Our questions follow the Utah-amended code.
- Practical exam: 4 tasks in 70 minutes (torque setting, evaporative cooler motor wiring, 3-way/4-way switching, schematic reading & wiring).
Note: Prov publishes the question count, time and references for this exam but not a topic breakdown. Our topic weights are an estimate based on the journeyman outline, shifted toward dwelling-unit work.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Utah Residential Electrician exam?
100 questions in 240 minutes, 75% to pass, open book with the 2023 NEC.
Free questions with answers
Show all 10 free questions and answers
You are installing the service for a new one-family dwelling. Under the 2023 NEC, what is the minimum rating of the service disconnecting means?
Answer: 100 amperes
Section 230.79(C) requires the service disconnecting means for a one-family dwelling to be rated at least 100 amperes, 3-wire. 60 A is the minimum for other installations under 230.79(D), not dwellings. 200 A is common in new homes but is a design choice, not the code minimum.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 230.79(C)
Using the optional calculation in 220.82, find the calculated service load in amperes for a 120/240-V single-family dwelling with: 2,400 ft² living area, two small-appliance circuits, one laundry circuit, 12-kW range, 5.5-kW dryer, 4.5-kW water heater, 1.2-kW dishwasher, and 5-kVA central air conditioning (gas heat).
Answer: 104.0 A
Under 220.82(B), general loads: lighting 2,400 × 3 VA = 7,200; small-appliance and laundry 3 × 1,500 = 4,500; nameplate appliances 12,000 + 5,500 + 4,500 + 1,200 = 23,200; total 34,900 VA. First 10,000 VA at 100% plus 24,900 × 40% = 9,960 gives 19,960 VA. Under 220.82(C)(1) the A/C is added at 100%: 19,960 + 5,000 = 24,960 VA ÷ 240 V = 104.0 A. 83.2 A leaves out the A/C. 91.5 A wrongly puts the A/C through the 40% demand, and 166.3 A applies no demand factor at all.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 220.82(B) and (C)
A 200-A, 120/240-V single-phase service supplies the entire load of a one-family dwelling. Using the 83% rule in 310.12(A) with the 75°C column of Table 310.16, what is the minimum copper service-entrance conductor size?
Answer: 2/0 AWG
Section 310.12(A) allows dwelling service conductors to have an ampacity of at least 83% of the service rating: 200 A × 0.83 = 166 A. In Table 310.16, 75°C copper, 1/0 AWG is rated 150 A (too small) and 2/0 AWG is rated 175 A, so 2/0 AWG copper is the minimum. 3/0 AWG (200 A) would be the answer without the 83% allowance.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 310.12(A); Table 310.16
A 200-A dwelling service is supplied by 2/0 AWG copper service-entrance conductors. The grounding electrode conductor runs to the metal underground water pipe electrode. Using Table 250.66, what is the minimum copper GEC size?
Answer: 4 AWG
Table 250.66 sizes the GEC from the largest ungrounded service-entrance conductor. The row for 2/0 or 3/0 AWG copper requires a 4 AWG copper GEC. 6 AWG belongs to the 1 or 1/0 AWG row. 6 AWG is also the maximum needed for a GEC that goes only to a rod under 250.66(A), but a water-pipe electrode doesn't get that limit.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Table 250.66
In a dwelling-unit bedroom, general-purpose receptacles must be placed so that no point along the floor line of any wall space is more than what horizontal distance from a receptacle outlet?
Answer: 6 ft
Section 210.52(A)(1) requires receptacles placed so that no point along the floor line in any wall space is more than 6 ft, measured horizontally, from a receptacle outlet. In practice that allows up to 12 ft between receptacles, which is why 12 ft is a common wrong answer. 10 ft is the hallway length that triggers a receptacle under 210.52(H).
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 210.52(A)(1)
A kitchen has a wall countertop that is 30 inches wide. Under 210.52(C)(1), receptacles serving this countertop must be placed so that no point along the wall line is more than what horizontal distance from a receptacle outlet?
Answer: 24 in
Section 210.52(C)(1) requires a receptacle outlet at each wall countertop space 12 in or wider, placed so that no point along the wall line is more than 24 in, measured horizontally, from a receptacle outlet in that space. 12 in is the minimum countertop width that needs a receptacle, not the spacing distance.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 210.52(C)(1)
Along a basement joist, you are stapling Type NM cable run exposed. What is the maximum interval between the securing points?
Answer: 4 1/2 ft
Section 334.30 requires NM cable to be supported and secured by staples, cable ties, straps, hangers, or similar fittings at intervals of no more than 4 1/2 ft, and within 12 in of every box, cabinet, or fitting. 3 ft is the EMT support distance from a box under 358.30, and 10 ft is the EMT support interval.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 334.30
A general-purpose receptacle branch circuit in a house is wired with 12 AWG copper NM cable. Unless a specific article permits otherwise, what is the maximum overcurrent device rating?
Answer: 20 A
Section 240.4(D) limits overcurrent protection for small copper conductors: 14 AWG to 15 A, 12 AWG to 20 A, and 10 AWG to 30 A, unless 240.4(E) or (G) applies. 25 A is the 75°C table ampacity of 12 AWG copper in Table 310.16, but 240.4(D) still caps the OCPD at 20 A.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 240.4(D)
A 4 in × 2 1/8 in square metal box has internal cable clamps. Three 12/2 NM cables with ground enter it, and it holds one duplex receptacle. Using 314.16(B), what is the minimum box volume required?
Answer: 22.5 in³
Each 12 AWG conductor takes 2.25 in³ under Table 314.16(B). Count: 6 insulated conductors × 2.25 = 13.5; all EGCs together = 1 × 2.25 = 2.25; internal clamps = 1 × 2.25 = 2.25; the receptacle yoke = 2 × 2.25 = 4.5. The total is 22.5 in³, so the 30.3 in³ box is large enough. 27.0 in³ wrongly counts each EGC separately. 20.25 in³ counts the device as only one allowance.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Section 314.16(B); Table 314.16(B)
A 120-V circuit supplies 16 A to a load 100 ft away (one way) using 12 AWG copper (6,530 cmil). With K = 12.9, what is the voltage drop as a percentage of source voltage?
Answer: 5.27%
VD = 2 × K × I × L ÷ CM = 2 × 12.9 × 16 × 100 ÷ 6,530 = 6.32 V, and 6.32 ÷ 120 = 5.27%. 2.63% leaves out the factor of 2 for the out-and-back path. 8.66% uses the aluminum K (21.2), and 10.53% doubles the length twice. This exceeds the 3% branch-circuit value recommended in the NEC informational notes, so upsizing to 10 AWG would be sensible.
Reference: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2023, Chapter 9, Table 8 (12 AWG = 6,530 cmil)
Sources
Questions last verified September 30, 2026. Licensing rules change. Always confirm current requirements with the licensing agency before you apply.